David Miller, Jim Campbell and Fashion Farms already enjoyed success on the 2019 Hambletonian Day card with Peter Haughton winner Real Cool Sam, and Crystal Fashion brought the connections back to the winner's circle at The Meadowlands with an impressive stretch rally to capture the $280,000 John Cashman Memorial against the sport's best older trotters.
Crystal Fashion wins the John Cashman Memorial at The Meadowlands. (Lisa Photo)
Miller motored Crystal Fashion away from the gate, clearing from post seven to take the early lead before favoured Six Pack (Ake Svanstedt) came to call to his outside through a :26.3 first quarter. Crystal Fashion ceded to his nemesis, who then backed down that tempo to a :55 half.
Guardian Angel As (Tim Tetrick) started the pressure on the leader heading to the third station. Svanstedt asked his horse for more speed, and the third quarter flashed up in 1:23.1. Those two trotters continued to slug it out around the final turn and heading for the wire, but the fresh threat was pocket-sitting Crystal Fashion. Miller angled him into clear sailing and the trotter responded with gusto, powerfully trotting past the front pair to score in a life's best 1:50 to equal the stakes record. Guardian Angel As and Six Pack completed the triactor, just a length back of the winner.
"I wasn't sure how the race was going to go for us, it was out first step up against all aged horses," said Campbell. "You know, we've kept him with the four-year-olds, which are very tough in their own right, so I wasn't sure how he was going to handle it. As it turned out, Dave gave him a perfect trip and this horse has come through for us so many times. You give him a chance he'll go right ot the wire for you. We couldn't be more proud of him."
Four-year-old Crystal Fashion (Cantab Hall - Window Willow) now sports 17 lifetime victories with earnings of $1,761,859 for Fashion Farms.
Stay up-to-date with all the happenings from 2019 Hambletonian Day at The Meadowlands in the 2019 Hambletonian Day News Centre